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Lightning occurs when there is a large difference in charge between the ground and storm-clouds. This acts similar to a huge capacitor. When the potential difference becomes large enough, lightning arcs from the ground to the clouds.

So there is already an electric field in the air under a storm-cloud. A magnetic field can produce its own electric field. The addition of these two electric fields may increase the potential difference enough to cause a lightning arc is the superimposed E-field is large enough.

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